Some Dairy Farmers Working Around Clock to Keep Livestock Warm

Unlike most jobs where there are snow days, those don't exist for dairy farmers.

According to WOOD-TV8, many employees for SwissLane Dairy Farms have had to work overnight in the subzero temperatures in order to take care of the cows so they can still produce milk effectively.

The cows have to be fed and milked and its a tough job keeping their water from freezing in such cold temperatures.

Workers are having to wear so many layers of clothes its very hard for them to move around. The workers also put up plastic curtains to help keep the wind down.

The workers also have to keep the cattle moving and active to help keep them warm. That means the cows will need to eat more but that will also help keep them warmer.

Because the farm averages four new calves per day, keep the staff their around the clock in a heated birthing center makes these kinds of temperatures a real challenge. The workers wrap the calves in jackets and make sure there is plenty of straw for bedding.

Just like the roads ice up, and there is build up of snow and ice on your car...cows hooves need to be cleaned off so they can get around.

A lot of the farm's machinery freezes up during these types of cold events and what a machine would usually do, workers then have to step in and handle...and I do mean handle.

The good news is, apparently all this is working since they cows were cranking out 90 pounds of milk per cow yesterday which shows that the cows are feeling happy.